Here at DFB, we’ve been talking about Disney food for 15 years…so it’s pretty safe to say that we’re experts on the eats in Disney World.

Because we talk about food so much, one of the biggest events of the year for us is the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival which happens each year. With dozens of food booths and unique menu items, we make it our mission to eat every new item and we often re-try our old favorites. So with 15 years of festival visits under our belt, we’ve definitely learned some lessons!

Today we’re breaking down some of the most important advice that we’ve learned from visiting the festival each year, eating a TON of food, and experiencing all the extra offerings. Let’s talk about some of our biggest mistakes!

Going Too Hard Early in the Festival Season

For the longest time, the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival was limited to the fall season at Disney World. But after the pandemic, Disney decided to move the timeline to make it a much longer festival. Now, the event typically runs from July-November…and you don’t need us to tell you that Disney World is a completely different place in July than it is in the fall.

If you’ve ever been to the parks in the summer, you know that the sun is intense, it’s swelteringly hot, and the humidity is enough to knock you off your feet. And since the Food & Wine Festival is often thought of as a “fall” event, the food doesn’t always match up with those late-summer vibes. That means you’ll probably be eating a lot of dishes that are heavy on the stomach or served hot. That kind of cuisine, paired with the weather, can be a not-so-great combination.

We’ve certainly experienced our fair share of rough days, especially on the first day of the festival in July when we’re trying to eat as much as possible. And the sun has a bad habit of squashing our appetite, so we’re not able to even fully enjoy the festival sometimes. So if you’re like us and the heat and humidity get to you, we recommend waiting until later in the festival season to visit. October and November will have milder weather and you’ll be able to enjoy the food more!

Going Too Early and Expecting to Eat Everything

If you’ve been to the festival the past few years, then you know that Disney has gotten in the habit of doing a “second round” of food booth openings. The list of booths varies from year to year, but usually, they open a few weeks or months later than the start of the festival. Which, unfortunately, means that you’ll miss out on them if you plan one visit earlier during the festival.

If you take a glance at the booth menus and decide that they’re not your cup of tea, it might be quite alright to miss out. But in general, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re checking the opening date for each booth that you’re interested in so that you don’t show up expecting to visit a spot that hasn’t even opened yet.

Not Planning Ahead

As we mentioned above, this is one of EPCOT’s biggest festivals of the year, and with usually close to 30 food booths, there’s a LOT to eat and drink. So much, in fact, that it’s pretty much impossible for one or two people to eat it all in one day.

So how do you fit in as much deliciousness as possible? By planning ahead! Get our DFB Guide to the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival so that you can check out the menus BEFORE you visit and make a list of your must-try items.

This downloadable ebook can come with you to the festival — it’s like we’re right there with you, sharing all of the tips and tricks we have learned over YEARS of eating everything there!

Order the DFB Guide today!

Skipping Straight to the World Showcase

When you think about EPCOT festivals, your mind probably goes to the World Showcase, where you’ll find the majority of festival booths. But since there are SO many booths at the Food & Wine Festival, you’ll actually find a number of them outside of the World Showcase. 

We’ve often seen booths pop up over in World Discovery, and sometimes, those are some of the best booths at the festival. So if you only plan on eating in World Showcase, you might miss out on some really great food and drink options!

Not Coming Prepared

This may sound very similar to our “planning ahead” tip, but it’s not the same. This time, we’re talking about the essentials that you need to pack for a full day at the festival. We’ve shared in the past that we’re big fans of bringing a tray to carry all those tiny plates, but we also recommend bringing a refillable water bottle so that you can stay hydrated throughout the day.

Bringing takeout containers or Tupperware can also be a good idea if you’re planning on eating quite a bit of food. And we’re big fans of keeping a pack of wet wipes in our park bag for wiping down those sticky Disney World tables!

Visiting for Dinner on the Weekends

While you’ll most likely want to enjoy the Food & Wine Festival for dinner, strolling around the World Showcase when it’s not the hottest part of the day — thousands of other people, unfortunately, have that same idea. Lots of locals come to EPCOT specifically to snack around the World Showcase on Friday-Sunday nights in particular.

So if you’re hoping to enjoy the festival when it’s least crowded, we recommend lunchtime or a weekday. Also, it’s probably best to avoid the weekend of the Wine & Dine Half Marathon, because many extra people will be in town for that runDisney event.

Skipping the Other Activities

And last but not least, we want to tell you not to skip out on the other activities that the festival has to offer! There are usually limited-time activities like scavenger hunts, special entertainment, and lots of great performers during the Eat to the Beat concert series. 

There’s a lot to see and do besides just eating and drinking, so we suggest making the most of your festival visit and taking it all in!

Those are some of the mistakes we’ve made in the past at the festival, and we hope that you learn from them! We’ll keep you in the loop with more EPCOT International Food & Wine news, tips, and reviews, so stay tuned to DFB for the latest.

Click Here to Get All the Food & Wine Festival Details!

Are you planning on visiting the Food & Wine Festival this year? Tell us in the comments!